For a state so rich in great hot dogs, lets get a discussion going of a rare treat- a good burger in connecticut. I have seen posts about shady glen and teds, eat at both, I am still shaking my head to as why people like them so. I'm talking about FRESH GROUND, HAND PACKED GRIDDLE COOKED OLD FASHIONED BURGERS, LIKE 20 30 YEARS AGO!!!!!

Goto the main Roadfood page ( www.roadfood.com ) and click on "Restaurant Reviews" at the top of the page. When you get to the page, click on Connecticut, unclick the "All Restraunt Types" box, and click on the "Hamburgers" box, scroll down and hit the search button! You'll see all the reviews on burgers in that state!

Last year we did a story for Connecticut Magazine about "10 Bests" in the state. Here is the hamburger list. Larry's Landing, I believe has changed names and ownership... Harry's burgers are what you're looking for, I believe, but it's a summer-only place.

Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers No other state can claim to have invented TWO kinds of hamburgers. We are home (arguably) to the original Platonic burger and (without doubt) to the steamed cheeseburger. However you like yours – thin and oily or thick and juicy, hamburger temptation is everywhere.

Clubhouse Deli: 217 Main St., Danbury. 203-739-0222 Behold the mighty "Giants Touchdown Burger"! It is a half pound of beef cooked good and crusty, topped with gobs of cheese and plenty of thick-sliced bacon, plus grilled onions and mushrooms and the condiments of your choice, all on a big bulky roll. Eat it surrounded by memorabilia not only of the Giants but of all proprietor Dane Kysor's favorite New York sports teams.

Harry's Drive-In: 104 Broadway, Colchester. 860-537-2410 Beautiful burgers are a sign of summer at Harry's, where the pick-up window offers a magnificent view of the grill on which the hamburgers are cooked. Placed on the hot, oily surface in round patties, they are flattened out with a spatula and yet they remain thick enough to be overwhelmingly juicy.

Jeremiah Donovan's, 138 Washington St., S. Norwalk 203-838-2430 Half the fun of eating at this 1889-vintage SoNo tavern is admiring the pictures of Battling Bat Kunz, the prizefighter who owned the saloon many years ago. The other half is J.D.'s superior hamburger: a generous slab of ground-that-day beef served with your choice of cheeses, bacon, lettuce and tomato.

Larry's Landing: 177 Roosevelt Dr., Seymour. 203-736-9056 In this old-fashioned hamburger stand at the edge of the Housatonic River, you sit at a tree-shaded outdoor table and plow into a juicy half-pound Angus beef patty that goes far beyond the edges of its bun. Topped with cheese and garnished with lettuce and tomato, it is one picnic-perfect hamburger eating experience … with sweet potato fries on the side.

Louis Lunch: 261 Crown St., New Haven. 203-562-5507 Does it really matter whether or not Louis Lunch invented the hamburger a hundred years ago? The undeniable fact is that Louis today makes a beaut: hand-pattied from quality beef and sandwiched in white toast (the hamburger no doubt predated the hamburger bun), available with a schmear of Cheese Whiz, onion, or a slice of tomato, but absolutely no ketchup.

Mario's: 36 Railroad Pl., Westport. 203-226-0308 Our choice for the state's best bar burger: super thick, ultra-crusty, and loaded with enough juice that you better lean forward when you hoist it from the plate, lest your shirt get spurted at first bite. It is a brilliantly seasoned hamburger, perfect for a place where you want to keep bolstering your thirst so you can drink more.

Shady Glen: 840 Middle Tpk. E., Manchester. 860-649-4245 The hamburger is OK, but what's amazing is the cheeseburger. Made using a technique perfected by the founding Reig family, it is draped with overlapping slices of cheese while on the grill. The cheese melts onto the hot metal surface and begins to toughen. But before it turns brittle, the burger-flipper uses a spatula to fold it up into an amazing floral shape atop the patty, with cheese that is molten soft in the middle but crunchy at its edges.

Sycamore Drive-In: 282 Greenwood Ave., Bethel. 203-748-2716 At this old-fashioned drive-in that still features carhop service, the burgers are "French cooked." The grill man slaps a thick circle of beef onto the grill then uses his spatula to flatten it until the edges are nearly paper thin. The middle stays moist while the circumference turns into a crusty web of beef. We'll have a Dagwood burger, please. That's a five-ounce patty with cheese piled into a bun with every garnish known to mankind.

Ted's: 1046 Broad St., Meriden. 203-237-6660 Steamers are unique to central Connecticut; and they are made at Ted's (since 1959) the classic way: a handful of meat is placed in a small tin inside a steam cabinet. As the meat browns, Vermont cheddar in an adjacent tin turns molten. The two are combined in a bun (preferably with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and mustard), making one extremely unwieldy sandwich. Curiously, the steamed cheeseburger was created in the 1920s, when eating steamed food was a health fad.

Yankee Doodle Coffee Shop: 260 Elm St., New Haven. 203-865-1074 When "The Doodle" opened for business in 1950, a hamburger cost twenty cents and a cheeseburger twenty-five. Prices have gone up in the last half century, but there's still no better counter-culture bargain than a five-dollar Dandy Doodle Double-Double, which is a cheeseburger on a hard roll with bacon, onion, lettuce, and tomato.

I grew up in Southwestern CT, in Ridgefield to be exact. I haven't been to Jeremiah Donavan's in years, and I had only discovered the awesomeness of the Sycamore Diner just mere months before leaving. Ahhh... If I ever return north, even just for a visit, I'm gettin' myself a Sycamore Dog as well as one of their burgers, and an order of fries.

I am looking to open my own place in Milford serving awesome dogs and burgers, as well as the New England Coastal fav's like Fried Clams and Lobstah rolls.My goal is to make a nice fresh ground, juicy, 1/2 # burger on a crispy buttery-toasty bun for all of my CT burger junkies with crispy bacon, melted Jack,et al.We are very excited about this new venture and I hope to see all of you there in early spring!

Michael, I have to laugh (and wince a bit) when I realize that I was stopping at the Yankee Doodle every morning starting in 1950 for coffee and an English muffin after getting off the bus out front and before heading to class at Hillhouse High School. I had no idea that the Yankee Doodle was new.

If you want to travel a bit farther north to Sunderland, Mass, you will get a hand-packed, grilled burger from local, organic, hormone-free, grass fed beef. The burger is topped with smoked Gouda and comes with sides of french fries, mayo, and ketchup -- all house-made -- as well as a salad. Since the Blue Heron is a restaurant, the price tag is up there at $12, but you can sit at the bar nights I am on, have the burger, and tell me personally that it is one of the best you have ever tasted.

How on earth is Danny's Drive-In of Stratford not mentioned in this list. I've eaten at most of these burger joints and I must say Danny's has them beat by a mile. All of their pattys are quarter pounders and there awesome! The green pepper makes it!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Stern

Last year we did a story for Connecticut Magazine about "10 Bests" in the state. Here is the hamburger list. Larry's Landing, I believe has changed names and ownership... Harry's burgers are what you're looking for, I believe, but it's a summer-only place.

Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers No other state can claim to have invented TWO kinds of hamburgers. We are home (arguably) to the original Platonic burger and (without doubt) to the steamed cheeseburger. However you like yours – thin and oily or thick and juicy, hamburger temptation is everywhere.

Clubhouse Deli: 217 Main St., Danbury. 203-739-0222 Behold the mighty "Giants Touchdown Burger"! It is a half pound of beef cooked good and crusty, topped with gobs of cheese and plenty of thick-sliced bacon, plus grilled onions and mushrooms and the condiments of your choice, all on a big bulky roll. Eat it surrounded by memorabilia not only of the Giants but of all proprietor Dane Kysor's favorite New York sports teams.

Harry's Drive-In: 104 Broadway, Colchester. 860-537-2410 Beautiful burgers are a sign of summer at Harry's, where the pick-up window offers a magnificent view of the grill on which the hamburgers are cooked. Placed on the hot, oily surface in round patties, they are flattened out with a spatula and yet they remain thick enough to be overwhelmingly juicy.

Jeremiah Donovan's, 138 Washington St., S. Norwalk 203-838-2430 Half the fun of eating at this 1889-vintage SoNo tavern is admiring the pictures of Battling Bat Kunz, the prizefighter who owned the saloon many years ago. The other half is J.D.'s superior hamburger: a generous slab of ground-that-day beef served with your choice of cheeses, bacon, lettuce and tomato.

Larry's Landing: 177 Roosevelt Dr., Seymour. 203-736-9056 In this old-fashioned hamburger stand at the edge of the Housatonic River, you sit at a tree-shaded outdoor table and plow into a juicy half-pound Angus beef patty that goes far beyond the edges of its bun. Topped with cheese and garnished with lettuce and tomato, it is one picnic-perfect hamburger eating experience … with sweet potato fries on the side.

Louis Lunch: 261 Crown St., New Haven. 203-562-5507 Does it really matter whether or not Louis Lunch invented the hamburger a hundred years ago? The undeniable fact is that Louis today makes a beaut: hand-pattied from quality beef and sandwiched in white toast (the hamburger no doubt predated the hamburger bun), available with a schmear of Cheese Whiz, onion, or a slice of tomato, but absolutely no ketchup.

Mario's: 36 Railroad Pl., Westport. 203-226-0308 Our choice for the state's best bar burger: super thick, ultra-crusty, and loaded with enough juice that you better lean forward when you hoist it from the plate, lest your shirt get spurted at first bite. It is a brilliantly seasoned hamburger, perfect for a place where you want to keep bolstering your thirst so you can drink more.

Shady Glen: 840 Middle Tpk. E., Manchester. 860-649-4245 The hamburger is OK, but what's amazing is the cheeseburger. Made using a technique perfected by the founding Reig family, it is draped with overlapping slices of cheese while on the grill. The cheese melts onto the hot metal surface and begins to toughen. But before it turns brittle, the burger-flipper uses a spatula to fold it up into an amazing floral shape atop the patty, with cheese that is molten soft in the middle but crunchy at its edges.

Sycamore Drive-In: 282 Greenwood Ave., Bethel. 203-748-2716 At this old-fashioned drive-in that still features carhop service, the burgers are "French cooked." The grill man slaps a thick circle of beef onto the grill then uses his spatula to flatten it until the edges are nearly paper thin. The middle stays moist while the circumference turns into a crusty web of beef. We'll have a Dagwood burger, please. That's a five-ounce patty with cheese piled into a bun with every garnish known to mankind.

Ted's: 1046 Broad St., Meriden. 203-237-6660 Steamers are unique to central Connecticut; and they are made at Ted's (since 1959) the classic way: a handful of meat is placed in a small tin inside a steam cabinet. As the meat browns, Vermont cheddar in an adjacent tin turns molten. The two are combined in a bun (preferably with lettuce, tomato, pickle, and mustard), making one extremely unwieldy sandwich. Curiously, the steamed cheeseburger was created in the 1920s, when eating steamed food was a health fad.

Yankee Doodle Coffee Shop: 260 Elm St., New Haven. 203-865-1074 When "The Doodle" opened for business in 1950, a hamburger cost twenty cents and a cheeseburger twenty-five. Prices have gone up in the last half century, but there's still no better counter-culture bargain than a five-dollar Dandy Doodle Double-Double, which is a cheeseburger on a hard roll with bacon, onion, lettuce, and tomato.

I am an admittedSycamore sychophant. Maybe it's the lace-edged patties or the to-die-for root beer. Everything there just tastes ... right. I can do without the Elvis effluvia, shark-fin car nights and doop-wop atmosphere. Just give me that good, honest food.

Now, making the drive home at night down the Ho Chi Min trail (aka Rt. 58) to Bridgeport is a more daunting task.

I agree, though, that the Nutmeg State isn't a great burger destination. I'm hoping RF vets will concur that L. A. is the place to which one must make a hegira to fully appreciate the art of the American hamboigah.

In the Enfield area people rave about Guido's Drive in on Rt190. I personally think his food is below average. Voted best dog in Enfield area and they suck (my personal opinion). Burgers are ok but I think the main reason people like it is because of the teenaged miniskirt wearing roller service. I definately recommend Harry's in Colchester and if your in the area they have a place at Dodd Stadium were the Norwich Navigators play, but I would recommend their original stand and enjoy it under the shade of the trees in back. Also Rosco's in Hartford is serving a steamed burger...but its an acquired taste you either like them or hate them.

Check out the Elbow Room in West Hartford. Great hand made burger w/lettuce,tomato,cheese and carmelized onions with hand cut fries on the side. I think its called Benny`s Bar Burger. If you want it medium order it rare as they have a tendency to over cook it unless you specify. Because its a restaurant they get you for around $9.

Personally, I think the burgers at Danny's drive in are absolutely horrendous!! I have eaten them several times..thinking they can only get better. Next time I'm in the mood for a brick, I'll eat the sheetrock off my bedroom wall!! GREASY!!!!!!!!

Louis Lunch: 261 Crown St., New Haven. 203-562-5507Made a speical stop on my way to Boston 7 people burgers were good but the people behind the counter could not have been more rude, I would never go there again.

Best burger I've had this year came one day after trying Louis Lunchfor the first time.I had it here.http://www.takeouttonight.com/menus/connecticut/new%20haven/06510/Richters_2037770400/Lunch-Dinner/index.html

Louis Lunch: 261 Crown St., New Haven. 203-562-5507Made a speical stop on my way to Boston 7 people burgers were good but the people behind the counter could not have been more rude, I would never go there again.

so now I'll have to plan a "CT burger and hot dog" tour ....!!!espescially since I'm now armed with all this useful info.

Hey is Swanky Franks still open? I've read conflicting reports..

hey , roadfood buddy, "long dog" up in Waterbury, perhaps you'll meet me at one of my pit stops.Plus, I just may stop in your joint and have you cook me up a burger..

What are the best CT places for all beef dogs?

ellen,

I don't know about 'long daddy', but I, doggydaddy live in Waterbury. I am very close to a few of these places and getting to many others is easily accesible within about half an hour.Straight up we could get to Blackie's, Al's, for dogs in minutes.Burgers are nearby with Ted's, Denmo's, and Sycamore which isn't too far. The Sycamore Drive-in is a quick drive, with Dr. Mike's within viewing range.

This does lead up to this weeks questionaire. I think that a roadfood tour of CT could be easily done. Many places that are listed are in what I call"The Golden Circle" of what would be for you a trip that starts in Norwalk and up Hwy 94 to New Haven. Starting in Norwalk would be your first wave of hot-dogs, or burgers.As much as there is Louis' Lunch, there are those famous pizza places. From there, head up Hwy 91 to Ted's.I could go on, but you could be eating something worthy of this site every 15 minutes.

We did not ask for ketsup, but we ordered some hambugers and one for my niece came with onions and we said we orderd with no onion, they said take them off she would not eat it, he would only make another if she said she was allergic to onions and he was not happy to do it.

Personally, I think the burgers at Danny's drive in are absolutely horrendous!! I have eaten them several times..thinking they can only get better. Next time I'm in the mood for a brick, I'll eat the sheetrock off my bedroom wall!! GREASY!!!!!!!!

I have to agree, to some extent. I do LOVE Danny's hot dogs, but they've been very hit-or-miss on the burgers. I called in a take-out order last Friday, and when I got it home we actually found 2 of the 3 burgers pretty much inedible....overdone to the point that they were just not at all enjoyable. And I was missing an order of fries. Oh well.....I guess we can all have an "off day".

Louis Lunch = vertical broiledTed's = steamedSycamore = gridled Swanky Franks = someone mentioned them - yes there have reopened, it's really more of a hotdog place, never had a burger (which are gridled)Burger Bar (Norwalk) = gridled (I believe); Very good, my favorite burger in lower Fairfield County - had to add them to the list

There used to be a good place to get charbroiled burgers in Wilton, CT right off route 7 heading into Ridgefield. The building is now Dexter's (as reviewed on roadfood) and owned by new management. For the past 15 years they seem to change management every 2-3 years. In it's current state, as Dexter's, the burgers are not good. Charbroiled? Yes. But they are made from skimpy preformed and frozen 1/3 pound patties that are overwhelmed by the bun on which they are served - not recommended.

Go to Louis Lunch then Ted's. If you are heading up to Fairfeild into Litchfield County, then hit up the Sycamore which is great for their burgers, nothing else. Their chili dog is pretty bad (bland, thin chili served on a skinless hot dog) as well as there fries and onion rings (both of which are frozen). Follow the Sycamore up by heading to Clamp's (never been, but heard good things about their burgers).

I think it would be a mistake not to mention Westport's other great burger spot, The Black Duck. Just around the corner from Mario's, it has a decidedly downscale, but local flavor. At their best, the burgers are near-perfect bar burgers. Consistency is sometimes an issue, but this is a down-home, local, and real spot that us Saugatuck Swamp Guineas hit a few times a week -- many times after having a beer at Mario's first.

I will add my endorsement of Plan B as serving a fine up-scale burger. An interesting place if you like good beer too. Their gimmick on the alcoholic beverage side appears to be only serving beer and booze made in the USA. There are now four, all around the Hartford area, and their web site threatens expansion to Boston and NYC. I have my doubts that the concept can sustain itself in such competitive markets, but what do I know?